Benton County is pleased to announce the hiring of Bob Richardson as Community Development director, beginning April 17.
Richardson is a skilled planner and leader whose experience includes executing and improving land use planning policies and strategies for different local jurisdictions. He was a key contributor to the development of OSU plans including the Corvallis Campus Vision and the Sustainable Transportation Strategy. He also successfully led multiple amendments to the Corvallis Land Development Code paving the way for future OSU development.
Richardson has more than two decades of experience in land use planning in Benton and Linn Counties. He spent the last seven and half years as the land use planning manager at Oregon State University. There he provided leadership, strategy and expertise for land use planning activities and issues at OSU locations across the state.
Prior to that, he worked for four years as planning manager for the City of Albany and nine years for the City of Corvallis as an associate planner.
“After an intensive screening process that included two comprehensive interview processes, individual interviews with each of the Commissioners and a post interview debrief with me, I have no doubt that Bob is the perfect person to be our next community development director,” said Interim County Administrator Rick Crager.
His references described him as a dedicated, hard-working, calm and collaborative leader. One called him “One of those individuals that you just want to work for… extremely thoughtful in his approach to local planning and makes everyone feel heard and part of the solution.”
“That’s exactly the kind of leader we need in Benton County to oversee important projects like the upcoming review and update of the Comprehensive Plan,” said Crager.
Richardson holds a bachelor’s degree in Government and Environmental Studies from St. Lawrence University and a master’s in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Oregon. He is a certified planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners.
On March 31, President Trump signed an executive order intended to ban all mail-in voting except for individuals enrolled on state-specific mail-in and absentee participation lists. Eligible absentee voters include travelers, people who are seriously ill and deployed military personnel and families.
The order directs the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to eligible absentee or mail-in voters.
A previous executive order on elections, signed in March 2025, was blocked by federal judges who said the president lacked the constitutional authority to set voting policy. The U.S. Constitution gives the power to determine the “Times, Places and Manner” of elections to individual states.
Soon after the executive order was signed, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read released a statement pledging to defend Oregon elections in court: “The Constitution is clear: states run elections. Oregon’s gold standard vote-by-mail elections are secure, fair, and accurate. We don’t need decrees from Washington D.C. My message to the President: We’ll see you in court.”
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield will also fight the executive order, according to a statement posted on social media: “Vote by mail increases access to the ballot which is the cornerstone to our democracy, and we’ll use every legal tool available to us to fight this and protect Oregonians’ right to vote.”
In 1998, Oregon voters overwhelmingly passed a ballot measure directing that elections be conducted by mail, and in 2000, Oregon became the nation’s first all vote-by-mail state.
Benton County leaders are closely monitoring the developing situation and remain in contact with state officials.
On April 1, the Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division confirmed that elections will move forward as planned, in accordance with current Oregon law, and the issue will be resolved through the court system.
Voters’ job is to get their ballots in for the May 19 primary election, either by returning them by mail or dropping them in one of the ballot boxes located throughout the County. Ballots will be mailed to Benton County voters on April 29.
Oregonians are encouraged to double-check their voter registration and mailing address at OregonVotes.gov before April 28 to ensure they receive their ballot.
Oregon counties already use barcodes to track every vote, verify signatures to confirm identities and conduct random audits to ensure accuracy. See Benton County’s process from start to finish.
Secretary of State Read will answer elections questions from the community at a town hall on Wed, May 6, 6 p.m. in Corvallis. He will be joined by Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin and Rep. Sarah Finger McDonald at the Benton Center, 757 NW Polk Ave. Benton County will continue to take direction from the Secretary of State and provide updates as more information becomes available.
The Benton County Board of Commissioners has approved the appointment of Jane Vetto as its new county counsel after a months-long recruitment. Vetto will begin work in the position on Monday, April 13.
Benton County employed local-government executive recruitment firm Strategic Government Resources to conduct the candidate search.
Vetto will replace Vance Croney, who is retiring after more than 25 years as Benton County Counsel.
Croney participated in the recruitment process and praised the Commissioners’ choice of Vetto as his successor: “She’s bright, experienced, professional and very personable. I’m excited about the direction the County is going with its legal services into the future.”
Vetto brings to Benton County extensive experience working in local government in Oregon and Washington. She was a deputy prosecutor and senior deputy prosecutor in the Civil Division for Clark County, Washington, where she advised several departments and defended the county in lawsuits filed in state, federal and appellate courts.
She has also served as county counsel for both Marion and Clackamas Counties, providing public policy, legal advice and representation to elected and appointed officials and serving as primary counsel for the elected commissioners.
In Marion County, she participated in labor and contract negotiations, advised on land use issues and advised on open public meeting laws, work sessions and executive sessions.
Most recently, Vetto worked as a deputy county attorney for Linn County, where she provided legal advice to multiple departments on topics including land use and land use appeals, health services, roads and public safety.
Vetto is a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Law. She holds a B.A. in history from the University of Oregon.
The Benton County Board of Commissioners proclaimed March 2026 as Women’s History Month during its March 3 meeting. The proclamation followed a gathering that included female leaders from across County government.
Women’s History Month began as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California, in 1978. In 1987, Congress designated March to honor women’s contributions to history, culture and society. March aligns with International Women’s Day on March 8, observed worldwide since the early 1900s to recognize women’s rights and achievements.
Lacey Mollel, director of Linn-Benton Community Health Centers, read the proclamation into the record.
Mollel said the proclamation recognizes the role women have played in shaping communities and advancing progress in education, science, the arts, government and business. The 2026 national theme, “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future,” highlights women’s leadership in addressing environmental, economic, educational and societal challenges.
“Women’s History Month is a time to honor the remarkable achievements of women past and present who have overcome obstacles, broken barriers and paved the way for future generations,” Mollel said during the reading. “It provides an opportunity to recognize the many contributions women have made to the social, economic, cultural and political fabric of our community and our nation.”
Lacey Mollel, executive director of Community Health Center of Benton and Linn Counties, reads the Women’s History Month proclamation before the Board of Commissioners on March 3.
And for Commissioner Nancy Wyse, Women’s History Month touches deeply on her own role in the County as well as the roles of other women in public service.
“Women working in Benton County government play important roles, including in leadership,” Wyse said. “Women leaders often take a holistic view, considering family systems, community factors and the long-term well-being of their teams and community partners. We have made progress, and Women’s History Month provides time to reflect.”
Maura Kwiatkowski, administrative services manager for the Board of Commissioners who coordinated the gathering and proclamation reading, said recognition creates space for important conversations.
“Many women hold family responsibilities while serving in demanding roles,” Kwiatkowski said. “In some environments, women still encounter bias or the need to continually prove credibility. Gender equality is an ongoing conversation. Visibility during Women’s History Month invites those conversations to happen.”
In adopting the Proclamation, the Board encouraged community members to celebrate and support the women of Benton County and to foster opportunities for education, empowerment and collaboration.
Header image: Commissioner Nancy Wyse (third from left) stands with some of the women leaders honored this week (from left): County Engineer Laurel Byer, Administrative Services Manager Maura Kwiatkowski, Executive Director Lacey Mollel of the Community Health Center of Benton and Linn Counties, Health Services Business Operations Director Debbie Sessions, Health Department Director April Holland.
The Benton County Board of Commissioners voted on March 3 to deny the proposed expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill, reversing their previous decision. The decision on reconsideration has been transmitted to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.
The Board adopted the findings in a Feb. 24 staff report as the findings of fact, removing the need for staff to prepare findings of fact for the Board to adopt in the March 17 Board meeting as originally planned.
Reversal of the previous decision
The previous Board of Commissioners’ public record for land use case LU-24-027 was closed in October 2025, preventing any new evidence from being entered. The Board voted on Nov. 4 to approve Republic Services’ Conditional Use Permit application to expand the landfill.
That decision was appealed on Dec. 5 to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.
In a Board of Commissioners meeting on Dec. 16, Commissioner Nancy Wyse moved to withdraw the decision for reconsideration, per ORS 197.830(13)(b). Commissioner Pat Malone seconded the motion, which carried 3-0.
Because quasi-judicial land use cases must be discussed in public meetings with notification published in advance, the reason for Commissioner Wyse’s motion was not known until a public hearing on Jan. 20.
In that hearing, following a brief presentation by Planning staff, the Board reopened the LU-24-027 public record to accept a DEQ pre-enforcement notice published Nov. 6.
The record remained open for 7 days to accept written evidence, argument and public testimony related to the DEQ pre-enforcement notice. For the next seven days, anyone could submit responses to material submitted in the first seven-day period. Finally, the applicant had seven days to submit a final rebuttal before the record was closed.
On Feb. 24, County Planning staff released a report reviewing all evidence submitted during the 21 days the record was reopened. The report included a different recommendation than the previous staff report:
Staff finds that the November DEQ PEN calls into question some of the application’s odor model assumptions, as further explained below, and further that the application does not provide sufficient analysis of adjacent odor-sensitive land uses such as the neighboring horse therapy business and residences to demonstrate that the landfill expansion will not seriously interfere with those uses on adjacent properties. Therefore, the Applicant has not met its burden of proof to show that the proposed use will not seriously interfere with adjacent land uses. Staff recommends denial of LU-24-027.
The public hearing resumed on March 3. Commissioner Gabe Shepherd moved:
to adopt an order reversing the Board’s November 2025 decision, and that the Conditional Use Permit be denied based on evidence in the record and findings in the February 24, 2026 staff report, and conclusions developed by the BOC during these deliberations, and that these findings and conclusions be adopted as the final decision of the Board.
Commissioner Wyse seconded the motion, and the commissioners voted unanimously to adopt the order.
For Benton County Safety Officer Ray Woothtakewahbitty, service has always been about mission, people and accountability.
Woothtakewahbitty, whose name is Comanche meaning “arrive and strike,” comes from a family and culture with deep military roots. He is Comanche on his father’s side, and like many Indigenous peoples, the Comanche people have a long history of military service.
“Almost everyone on that side of my family served,” he said. “They were great role models. I knew from a young age that I wanted to serve.”
That commitment shaped a 25-year military career that included three combat deployments and a wide range of roles from shop mechanic and scout to maintenance leadership and first sergeant.
Woothtakewahbitty on deployment in Afghanistan in 2010. He completed three deployments during his 25-year military career, experiences he says helped build the calm, disciplined approach he now brings to his work with Benton County. (Courtesy photo)
A first sergeant is a senior enlisted leader who takes care of Soldiers and keeps the unit ready by enforcing standards, mentoring leaders and ensuring the mission gets done.
Along the way, Woothtakewahbitty led people and managed equipment and budgets, often in high-pressure environments where mistakes carried serious consequences.
“Almost every job I had in the military was stressful,” he shared. “I had jobs that were brutal working from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day under pressure to meet quotas on recruiting duty, and days in the motor pool or on supply convoys in Afghanistan that only ended when the mission was complete. Being responsible for the lives and safety of my Soldiers in a combat zone was always stressful.”
Those experiences built a strong work ethic and a calm, steady approach that he brings to his work today with Benton County.
“I don’t get stressed out easily,” he said. “Being shot at and taking care of Soldiers while their lives are on the line gives you perspective. It helps me perform well in difficult situations.”
As Benton County’s safety officer, Woothtakewahbitty works largely behind the scenes, ensuring employees and the public are protected and that safety programs are effective and fiscally responsible. He said the military made safety second nature.
“In the Army, we did a risk assessment for every task or hazard and developed a plan to mitigate it. That mindset never leaves you.”
His military background also sharpened his ability to troubleshoot problems, stay calm under pressure and work with people from all walks of life. Over his career, he worked alongside West Point graduates, young Soldiers just out of high school, and people from many cultures and backgrounds.
“The military taught me how to relate to different people and embrace diversity,” he said. “I’m grateful for that exposure, and I appreciate that Benton County values diversity, too.”
Since joining Benton County, Woothtakewahbitty has partnered with department leaders to apply his military experience to real-world safety challenges, particularly for employees working along roadways.
“I’ve worked closely with Ray as he’s transitioned into this role, especially around improving safety for our road crews,” said BJ Haley, Benton County roads operations manager. “His military background shows in how he approaches risk, accountability and teamwork. He’s focused on making sure our crews go home safe at the end of the day, and that mindset strengthens our entire operation.”
Woothtakewahbitty said the sense of purpose he found in uniform continues in his civilian role.
“I care about service and mission,” he said. “I care about the people I work with and making sure they go home safe. That’s where I get my purpose. From serving others and being part of a team that’s doing something meaningful.”
For Woothtakewahbitty, the mission has changed, but the values remain the same. His commitment to service, teamwork and accountability closely reflects Benton County’s core value, “At Your Service, Every Day”, and guides how he supports coworkers and keeps people safe across the organization.
The 25th annual Festivus disc golf tournament returned to Adair County Park on Saturday, drawing players from across the region to celebrate both a winter tradition and 25 years of disc golf at the disc golf course in Benton County’s Adair County Park.
Tournament organizer “Disc Golf Greg” Johnson sounds an air horn to kick off the 2026 Festivus Disc Golf Tournament at Adair County Park.
The tournament’s name comes from the fictional holiday “Festivus,” popularized by the television show Seinfeld. Organizer Greg Johnson, known locally as “Disc Golf Greg,” said the lighthearted reference fits the tone of the event, which blends friendly competition with humor and community spirit during the winter season. The name also reflects the creativity and playful personality common in the disc golf community, where themed tournaments, inside jokes and casual camaraderie are part of the culture.
Johnson and a team of volunteers placed sponsor signs and directional markers on every hole to guide players through the wooded and open fairways. In the weeks leading up to the event, younger members of the local disc golf club refreshed pathways and tee areas using gravel and bark chips provided by Benton County.
While this year brought a different winner than the past decade, largely dominated by professional player Scott Withers, it was not a first-time champion. Colin Sexton captured the title with a two-round score of 22-under par across 44 holes, shooting rounds of 9-under and 13-under. Sexton, who turns 40 this year, previously won Festivus in 2010 and became the third repeat champion in the event’s history.
Professional disc golfer Nate Sexton, a six-time Festivus winner recognized for his national and international influence on the sport, finished one stroke behind his brother — who is one year younger — after a dramatic closing stretch. According to Johnson, Nate Sexton was down three strokes with three holes to play. On the final hole, which is the only par-4 on the course, his drive landed out of bounds near the tennis court fence, forcing an awkward recovery shot. From roughly 250 feet, Sexton skipped in a long throw to save par and put pressure on Colin Sexton, who converted his birdie putt to secure the one-stroke victory.
Players like Scott Withers and the Sexton brothers reflect the depth of talent in the local disc golf community, which continues to produce strong competitors across multiple divisions. This year also marked the first time the lowest overall score came from a player in the Pro Masters 40-plus division.
Jude Sweeney, 13, poses with his prize money after winning the Men’s Pro Open division at the 2026 Festivus Disc Golf Tournament (left) and drives a tee shot during tournament play at Adair County Park (right).
In the Men’s Pro Open division, 13-year-old Jude Sweeny delivered a standout performance, shooting 10-under for the tournament to earn his first MPO win. Sweeney, who continues to compete at the amateur level in sanctioned events, plans to travel to Pittsburgh in July to compete in the PDGA Junior World Championships. His father, Andrew Sweeny, said the victory “stoked his already strong passion for the sport and growing the game.” Jude hopes to build on a fourth-place finish at Junior Worlds in 2023.
Event sponsors including 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Play It Again Sports, Innova Disc Golf and Honeybrine Catering helped make this year’s Festivus the largest payout in tournament history. Cash payouts to professional players exceeded $2,000, while amateur competitors shared nearly $1,500 in store credit redeemable at Play It Again Sports in Corvallis.
Kim Halsey, who has played disc golf for about 24 years, said the sport offers a reliable way to step away from work and reconnect with friends.
“It’s just a really fun way to break out of my work rhythm and have a great time with friends,” Halsey said. “Every time I come out with my friends, I have a great time. You’re outside, you come out and play in the winter — there’s a little activation energy to come out, but as soon as you’re out you’re like, ‘I’m so glad I got here.’”
Halsey said the community is what keeps her returning.
“You never know what people are doing or what their history is, but they’re all super kind,” she said.
Participants in the 2026 Festivus Disc Golf Tournament gather for a group photo before the start of play at Adair County Park.
Dan Rockwell, recently elected president of the Willamette Disc Golf Club and a member for about six years, said the anniversary highlights both the course’s design and the partnerships that sustain it. He previously served as greenskeeper at the Willamette Park disc golf course before moving into club leadership.
“It’s a completely fun, community-building tournament that is for everyone to come and have a good time,” Rockwell said.
He described the Adair County Park course as offering a wide variety of shots, including wooded lanes, elevation changes, open fields and short technical holes, along with a strong sense of history tied to the volunteers who built and maintain it.
Benton County Natural Areas, Parks and Events Director Jesse Ott said the County works closely with the club to balance recreation with stewardship of the park.
“I love that we are highlighting disc in Benton County,” Ott said. “NAPE supports tournaments and clinics by working with the club on basket layout. We review the plans for the course and the event through our Special Use Permit.”
Ott said Adair County Park remains open to the public during events, but the permit process helps reserve the course and protect sensitive areas. County staff coordinate with volunteers and tournament directors to address pathway issues and to select basket sites that minimize impacts to emerging native plants during certain times of the year.
As discs sailed through air and across familiar fairways, Festivus once again reflected the local disc golf community’s blend of competition, volunteerism, humor and shared time outdoors. It’s a formula that has kept players returning to Adair County Park for a quarter century, continues to develop the next generation of players, and for many, is simply good for the soul.
A player throws a shot at the disc catcher during the 2026 Festivus Disc Golf Tournament at Adair County Park in Corvallis.Professional disc golfer Nate Sexton throws a forehand during the 2026 Festivus Disc Golf Tournament at Adair County Park in Corvallis.
Benton County has made a strategic decision to adjust the timeline for the planned Voluntary Periodic Review of the 2007 Comprehensive Plan. Work initially slated to begin this month will be postponed while the County conducts economic analysis and hires and trains key staff.
A comprehensive plan is a long-term policy document that guides growth, land use and development. It outlines goals while providing the legal foundation for zoning and development decisions.
Voluntary Periodic Review is used in Oregon law to describe the periodic evaluation and revision of a local comprehensive plan. According to the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), VPR ensures that comprehensive plans respond to changes in local, regional and state conditions, coordinate with other comprehensive plans and comply with statewide planning goals, statutes and rules.
While counties are not required to update their comprehensive plans on a set schedule, Benton County has chosen to engage in this effort in response to growth and changing community needs.
The Benton County Comprehensive Plan was last updated in 2007. Significant demographic, economic, environmental, legislative and sociopolitical changes in the last two decades have created a strong need to modernize it. The County’s goals for this effort include:
Aligning land use policies with community priorities
Ensuring compliance with Oregon’s statewide planning goals
Integrating resilience, equity and sustainability principles across all policy areas
Once the comprehensive plan is updated, the County will amend the Development Code to implement these policy changes.
In 2024, the County began preparations for the VPR process with the intention of publishing a revised plan around 2028.
Phase 1 was completed in 2024 and 2025. Funded through a DLCD Technical Assistance grant, this robust pre-planning phase included:
Identification of VPR tasks and discretionary planning items
Phase 2 of the project was expected to begin in January 2026 with a state-supported funding package, as indicated in the 2025-27 budget adopted by the Benton County Board of Commissioners.
As the County began planning and implementation for this phase, it became evident that three unforeseen factors had created challenges for the project timeline:
The County has been unsuccessful in hiring a new Community Development Director — a key leadership position for this project. A new recruitment was just launched for the position.
Reductions in federal and state funding that began in January 2025 have resulted in fewer financial resources than expected for the project. The County forecasted $350,000 from the state to support Phase 2 of the project, but in December 2025, was notified it would receive $50,000.
The Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application to expand the Coffin Butte Landfill has required shifting staff resources away from the comprehensive planning project to meet the unanticipated workload and extension of time.
In response to these challenges, the County has developed a revised plan to delay the start of Phase 2 by one year. The $50,000 in state funding will be used as identified in the grant application to complete one discrete and foundational task prior to the rest of Phase 2.
The County will conduct a Fiscal and Economic Opportunities and Impacts Analysis with an emphasis on enabling and supporting a resilient rural economy. This analysis will provide an essential baseline for the comprehensive plan update and may directly inform development of a new Capital Improvements Plan to be integrated with the County’s biennial budgeting process.
This one-year delay will enable County staff to complete a major project task while finishing work related to the CUP application for the Coffin Butte Landfill and administering a process to recruit, hire and onboard a new Community Development Director.
Staff and the Board of Commissioners will also have time to reevaluate the current budget to determine how best to fund the project The goal is to fully kick off Phase 2 of the project in January 2027.
Voluntary Periodic Review of the County’s Comprehensive Plan continues to be one of the highest priorities of the Benton County Board of Commissioners. While a project delay is not ideal, the County believes it will support the best possible result considering current conditions.
The Benton County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to reopen the record for LU-24-027 to accept new evidence related to the proposed expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill. Written comment and testimony directed to a November 6 letter from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, as it relates to the applicable criteria in the Benton County Code, can be submitted by the public until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
In a Jan. 20 public hearing to reconsider their decision on the land use case, the Board considered a recommendation from Planning Division staff to open the record to receive a DEQ letter issued after the Board voted in Nov. 2025 to approve the landfill expansion application.
Planning staff recommended a schedule for written public testimony, applicant final argument and a continuation of the hearing to March 3 for deliberations and decision. The Board approved the following timeline:
Tuesday, Jan. 20
LU-24-027 Public Record reopened to accept the Nov. 6 DEQ letter. It will remain open for 7 days to accept written evidence, argument and testimony related to the DEQ letter as it relates to applicable criteria in the Benton County Code.
Tuesday, Jan. 27, 4 p.m.
Deadline for the County to receive written evidence, argument and testimony relating to the DEQ letter.
Beginning of new, 7-day period limited only to responses to written evidence, argument and testimony submitted during the Jan. 20-27 submission period.
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 4 p.m.
Receipt deadline for 7-day responsive open record period.
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 4 p.m.
Deadline for the County to receive the applicant’s final argument, with no new evidence.
Tuesday, Feb. 24
TENTATIVE — Staff report (if any) on new evidence published.
Tuesday, March 3, 11 a.m.
Continued reconsideration hearing and Board deliberations in the Holmes & Shipley meeting room at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.
Tuesday, March 17, 9 a.m.
TENTATIVE — Adoption of findings in regular Board of Commissioners meeting and transmittal of decision on reconsideration to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals. If adoption is scheduled for an earlier date, it will be announced on March 3.
Submitting written testimony
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, the Board of Commissioners reopened the public record for seven (7) days to collect written evidence and testimony from all parties, including the public, directed to the November 6 DEQ letter. Submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27.
Following the 7-day open record period, the record will remain open for a 7-day responsive comment period limited to written submissions from all parties addressing only new issues raised during the Jan. 20-27 submission period. Submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
There are four ways to submit written testimony:
Hand delivered to Board of Commissioners Office (suite 100) in the Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.
Through thetestimony submission form on the County’s website. Please note that the form does not allow for attachments. To submit testimony with an attachment, use the email address above.
Mailed to Board of Commissioners Office, P.O. Box 3020, Corvallis, OR 97339. Mailed submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Jan. 27 — the postmark will not be taken into consideration.
The Benton County Board of Commissioners Office has published the agenda and meeting packet for the Jan. 20 meeting. The meeting will include two short public hearings and will begin at 10 a.m. in the Holmes & Shipley meeting room at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.
The Jan. 20 Board of Commissioners meeting will begin an hour later than the standard 9 a.m. start time because of a smaller than usual amount of regular business on the agenda.
Public comment will be heard at the beginning of the meeting, but comment related to either of the scheduled public hearings will not be allowed.
The first of two public hearings will begin at 11 a.m. It will address a development code text amendment related to mobile food carts. At this time, public comment about the text amendment only will be heard.
The second hearing will be a public hearing for reconsideration of the Board’s decision on LU-24-027, a Conditional Use Permit application to expand Coffin Butte Landfill. The Board will consider a recommended timeline for accepting written public testimony, included in the agenda packet published on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
The Board is considering a recommendation from Planning Division staff to open the record to receive a DEQ letter issued after the Board voted to approve the landfill expansion application in November 2025. The recommendation includes a timeline for the public to submit written evidence or argument regarding the new evidence presented at the Jan. 20 hearing. Planning staff is recommending the Board continue the hearing to a later date for deliberations and decision.
Ex parte rules continue to apply to the Commissioners’ consideration of the application. They prevent the Commissioners from hearing verbal or written comment outside of the public process for accepting evidence and testimony about the Coffin Butte Landfill.
No vote will be taken on Jan. 20 and no decision on the land use application will be made.
Following the public hearing on Jan. 20, the County will distribute a press release to share the Board’s decisions regarding continued hearing date and the timeline and guidelines for any open record period set during the hearing.
